Giving the Gift of a Fettes Education
A TRADITION OF PHILANTHROPY Helen Harrison, Head of Fettes At Fettes we aim to provide the best possible all-round boarding education we can whilst also ensuring that each pupil understands the privilege of being part of this community. A Fettes education will provide a wide and stimulating variety of opportunities, academic achievement, challenge, service and an amazing group of friends. We want Fettesians to leave the school prepared to make their mark on the world but do this with real integrity and a good dose of humility. Bursaries allow us to offer this education to children from families who would not ordinarily be able to attend Fettes. This is as important today as it was to Sir William Fettes in 1836 when he drafted his will and left the residue of his Estate to form an endowment for the maintenance, education and outfit of young people whose parents have either died without leaving them with sufficient funds for that purpose or who, from innocent misfortune during their lives, are unable to give suitable education to their children. Then, almost 150 years ago, on 5th October 1870, when Fettes opened, many of the first 53 pupils to cross the threshold were orphans or the sons of impoverished parents and most of them had their fees paid in full via philanthropy. Throughout its history, Fettes has endeavoured to continue the founding ethos of Sir William Fettes. Over the last three years, the number of 100% bursary students has doubled. This is partly due to receiving more applications requiring this level of support and partly due to the College doing more to break down barriers by actively recruiting deserving bursary students.
These ambitions received a fantastic boost in October 2018 when the Fettes Foundation received an anonymous gift of £1.2 million towards Fettes Kick-start, a new programme we have developed to actively recruit two children, from low income families in Edinburgh, into the Prep School each year. This transformative donation is enabling us to provide full bursarial support for these pupils to ‘kick-start’ the first year of their Fettes education. We are working closely with five partner Primary Schools in some of the most deprived areas of Edinburgh to identify and recruit these pupils. Transforming the lives of ambitious, curious and caring young people from low-income backgrounds is the right thing to do. I am therefore delighted that the Fettes Foundation is committed to increasing philanthropic income towards 100%(+) bursaries. I am deeply grateful to all our bursary donors, past and present and I hope that many more members of the Fettes community will choose to support this important initiative this year. “I doubt if anyone ever had a better academic education than Fettes gave to me. And I emphasise the ‘gave’. Being a Foundation Scholar made it all possible. My father would not have been able to pay the fees, but he had wanted me to go to Fettes long before I was old enough. The range of teachers, and their willingness to work with a kid studying maths, but who was interested in other things, was very important in my intellectual development.” Professor Sir Angus Deaton (Gl 1959-1964) Foundation Scholar and Nobel Laureate
Professor Sir Angus Deaton (Gl 1959-1964) Foundation Scholar and Nobel Laureate
THE GIFT OF A FETTES EDUCATION Bruce A I Dingwall CBE (SH 1973-1978), Chairman of the Fettes Foundation and Governor of the Fettes Trust
HOW BURSARIES ARE AWARDED Peter Worlledge, the Bursar
As Bursar, I am responsible for the management and coordination of the bursary application process, although the administration is managed by a third-party organisation which performs an initial review of the applications and undertakes home visits.
A Fettes education enables our young people to flourish and sets the strongest possible foundation for their future. Through the provision of means-tested bursaries, deserving recipients from families who would not ordinarily be able to send their children to Fettes can thrive and embrace all that Fettes has to offer. Donations towards bursaries at Fettes are held, ring-fenced, in the Fettes College Endowment Fund, which is known as the Combined Investment Fund. This fund is invested in a portfolio of listed equities and bonds, which is managed by external professional Investment Managers. Income from the invested funds is applied to the provision of bursaries at Fettes whilst the capital value is preserved. It is my sincere hope that the generosity of the Fettes community will help us significantly increase philanthropic income towards the long-term provision of 100%(+) bursaries. “I have Fettes to thank for everything; for five unforgettable years, for inspirational teachers, the best friends I could ever hope for and of course for preparing me for the real world. Knowing how different my situation could have been made me appreciate each day all the more.” Bursary Recipient
All applicants to Fettes College are assessed on the same entrance exams, their most recent school report and how they come across in their interview with the Head. The offer of a place is independent of the bursary application process and bursaries will be awarded, where appropriate and funds permitting, to those families whose children are offered a place by the Head. As I receive many more applications for bursary support than funding allows, priority will be given to those children likely to gain most from the educational provision at Fettes. Each pupil to whom support is offered must, in the opinion of the Head, be likely to make sound academic progress and possess the potential to develop the quality of his or her work and benefit from participation in wider, extra-curricular activities on offer at the school. The amount of any bursary award is not influenced by the level of the academic ability of the child but by the extent of financial need. Each case is assessed on its own merits following a thorough review of the family’s financial circumstances. Bursaries are offered for one academic year only and reviewed annually, adjusted only depending on changes in the family’s own financial circumstances. I believe that the provision of means-tested bursaries is crucial to keeping Fettes the school we know and love. It is a significant investment for the school that matters to us all. “Pupils on bursaries make Fettes a better place by bringing a diversity of opinions and skills. We are a better school by virtue of this fact.” Houseparent
100%(+)
68
pupils are on bursaries this year
There are twice as many 100% bursaries this year than there were three years ago
It is a priority for the Fettes Foundation to increase philanthropic income towards 100%(+) bursaries
ÂŁ200,000 represents the total fees for a child boarding at Fettes from 3rd Form to Upper Sixth
Sir William Fettes devoted his wealth to supporting the education of children from disadvantaged backgrounds
ÂŁ3.1M from
raised towards bursaries since
482 donors
62 donors with a current regular gift to bursaries
2015
279
Old Fettesians
+
184
from parents past and present
The Fettes Foundation is a registered charity in Scotland, No: SC028350. It is a company limited by guarantee in Scotland, No: SC189253 and with its registered office at Fettes College, Carrington Road, Edinburgh, EH4 1QX
MAKING YOUR GIFT Nicola Pickavance, Director of Development Since August 2015, I have been working with the Trustees of the Fettes Foundation and many colleagues to increase philanthropic income towards bursaries. I am sincerely grateful to everyone in our community who has helped us raise over £3m towards this important priority during this time. For me, working with donors who absolutely believe in the founding ethos of Fettes College and our ambitions to break down barriers is inspirational and energising. Keeping up this momentum in the longer term, and continuing to grow the endowment, will only be possible with more support from the Fettes family. If, like me, you believe a Fettes education is a currency that really matters please help us transform the lives of 100%(+) bursary students. You can make your gift online: www.fettes.com/familyforlife/foundation or by completing a gift form and returning it to us. You only need to read the quotations on these pages to realise the impact your support will have. “I count myself extremely lucky that I have been given the opportunities I have through Fettes and hope that in the future I will be able to help others have the same opportunities. Without a bursary I would have missed out on five life-defining years of Fettes education and I am so grateful that, despite my family’s financial situation, I could have a truly great education.” Bursary Recipient “Bursary provision at Fettes keeps us in touch with the Founder’s vision of offering opportunities to those who can’t otherwise afford to come to Fettes. Our wartime rolls of honour, Heads of School boards and lists of Old Fettesians are full of people who benefited from such opportunities and went on to achieve great things.” Teacher